Nashville Personal Injury Lawyer - Motorcycle Accidents

New Efforts to Reduce Motorcycle Accident deaths

Rob McKinney — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 18:54:37 GMT

The U.S.Department Of Transportation announced new safety measures to improve motorcycle safety.The motorcycle safety measures include new national safety and training standards for new bike riders , an effort to curb counterfeit helmet labeling , place new focus on motorcycle-specific road improvements , and provide more training to police on how to spot unsafe drivers. It turns out the U.S Department of Transportation Secretary Mary Peters is herself a biker. She suffered a motorcycle accident in 2005 where she broke her collar bone. At least we have somebody in Washington that has some real life experience in fixing a problem.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Rob McKinney

Motorcycle Traffic Deaths Rise Again

Rob McKinney — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 11:43:43 GMT

The National Highway Traffic Safety Adminstration (NHSTA) reported that motorcycle accident deaths rose by 5.1 percent , to 4,810 in 2006 . Traffic deaths rose for all age groups , but older riders were affected the most. In the last 10 years , fatalities have risen by 250 percent in the 40-and-older age group.One reason is the increased power of the engines and the size of some of the bikes.Often older riders return to biking with the same skills that were safe 20 years ago. Alcohol also plays a role in motorcycle crashes in all age groups. The report shows that 39 percent of 35-to-39-year-olds killed in a fatal crash had a blood alcohol level of .08 or higher. Does the lack od helmets cause the death rates to rise ? Only 20 states have mandatory helmet laws. Tennessee is one such state. Does a state's right to regulate safety issues trump the bike riders personal choice and freedom to ride. I would like to hear your comments which I will post on this site. Happy Trails.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Rob McKinney

How Do You Determine Who Is At Fault In A Car Accident Case ?

Rob McKinney — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 18:43:55 GMT

There are two primary ways to determine fault in a car or truck accident case. First, a driver may be liable for the accident due to negligence which is harder to prove. More on that in a later post. The second way to prove fault is a violation of a statute or law. It is commonly referred to as negligence per se. The State of Tennessee has created a code of conduct for driving cars, trucks , and motorcycles. It is commonly referred to as " The Rules of the Road". Some cities and counties also have additional rules of the road. A driver's violation of a statue may provide a basis for providing liability. Once the police or state trooper investigates the car or truck accident , he or she will make a determination if one of these rules have been violated. A violation of these rules usually decides who is liable for the car accident. If the other driver is at fault, suggest to the officer that a traffic ticket be issued. It helps prove your case.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Rob McKinney